


hyacinth

by chamomilletea



Category: Persona 3, Persona Series
Genre: F/M, bc i love them, just a little bit of yukamitsu
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-06-18
Updated: 2019-09-29
Packaged: 2020-05-01 18:44:05
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 4
Words: 6,118
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19183540
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/chamomilletea/pseuds/chamomilletea
Summary: S.E.E.S. reacts to Yukari's new perfume.





	1. Junpei is suspicious.

**Author's Note:**

> Basically I was looking up the Primaniacs Persona 3 perfumes and Yukari's was already sold out.

Junpei knows something's off, he just doesn't know what...

...Yet.

When Yukari raises her hand to answer Miss Toriumi this Friday, he senses a different atmosphere around her. More confident, maybe… Less defensive. Still, he isn't quite sure exactly what it is.

The cheerful, optimistic Yukari became unusually introverted since Yakushima. During the summer trip, the S.E.E.S. members found out that her father, Eiichiro Takeba, was one of the scientists working in Kirijo Group’s research and was directly involved with the great disaster in Iwatodai ten years ago. At that moment, a hint of guilt stroke Junpei. Many times he resented his teammates for being so much more connected with the mysteries of the Dark Hour than him, without even considering all the wounds that came with such connections. After the trip, Junpei felt a bit more comprehensive and found himself deeply concerned with his friend's sour new disposition.

A couple of months after their return, though, he couldn’t help noticing her in quite an airy mood. He caught her humming across the Gekkoukan corridors, missing more arrows than usual in Tartarus… And the most shocking of all, he could've sworn she went back to using sarcasm while talking to him the other day at the dorm.

It was relieving to have Yukari's bright temper back, but at the same time, very, very suspicious. What could have caused such drastic change? What could have finally melt Yukari Takeba's heart? Or even better… _who_?

This is a job for Junpei Iori, Ace Detective.

"Psst, Kenji", he carefully calls his classmate at the desk beside him, availing himself from the fact that Miss Toriumi is completely absorbed in her long and tedious criticism of Naturalist literature (of which Junpei has no clue about), apparently one of Mr. Ekoda's favorite literary movements (Junpei has also no idea what this is).

"Shhh. Not now, Iori." an irritated Kenji responds without averting his eyes from Toriumi. "I'm trying to pay attention."

"At the class or at the teacher?", the other boy smirks. _Ha_ , he mentally high-fives himself, _nice one, Junpei._

"Fair enough, Iori. What is it?"

Junpei comes a little closer."Something's wrong with Yuka-tan."

"What do you mean?"

He briefly describes Yukari's mood swings the last few days. "... and my best bet is that she's… you know…", Junpei covers his mouth with his hands and lowers his head. "... going out with someone.'

Kenji's eyes widen a little. He, Junpei and a bunch of other guys at Gekkoukan considered Yukari to be the hottest second-year on their list – " _a pretty shitty, objectifying list_ ", according to Yukari herself. Still, they insisted in nourishing the vain hope of asking her out, which causes the possibility of her seeing someone to be kind of a big deal.

Kenji focus his attention on the girl and ponders for a few seconds. "New hair?"

"Nah,” Junpei scoffs at the suggestion. "Same bangs, falling to the same side."

"So it's the… That heart-shaped neck thingy..."

"No, it's not the choker."

"It isn’t her cardigan..."

Junpei shakes his head negatively. “She washes and dries it every other day, so it’s always, like, super clean. There was even a time when Yuki’s shirt got all pink…”

“Brilliant, Iori”, Kenji concludes. “Let’s ask Yuki. I’m the only one of us three that doesn’t live with her.”, and Junpei swears he can hear Kenji ending the sentence with “ _unfortunately_ ”.

The boys turn to look at Yuki’s direction, and instead, they stare at a mop of dark blue hair spread out on the desk. Makoto Yuki is shamelessly dozing in the middle of class, arms pending lazily at the sides of his absurdly skinny body, as though he had just fallen apart on the table.

But Detective Iori does not give up so easily. As stealthy as he manages to be, Junpei throws a small paper ball at his napping classmate.

“Psst. Oi. Yuki.”

And nothing.

Suddenly Junpei has the weirdest feeling of being watched. A shiver strikes down his spine. _Man, I hope it’s not Toriumi_ … He raises his eyes warily, nearly jumping off his chair when he catches up with Aigis’ creepy, cold stare from across the room. It feels like the protective robot-girl is defying Junpei to try and hit Yuki one more time, and he would experience the most excruciating pain.

“Relax, Aigis,” he mutters nervously, “It won't hurt him,” but Aigis doesn’t seem to relax.

The next paper ball isn’t as accurate as the first one and accidentally hits the light brown haired person sitting right in front of Yuki. Who happens to be Yukari.

“Hey!”, she places her hand where the ball just hit her and throws an outraged look at Junpei. When Yukari turns her neck to face him, a soft, sweet floral scent punches him on the nose. The penny drops.

_Aha! It’s…_

Yuki suddenly wakes up with all the turmoil around his desk. He raises his head, still groggy, his completely disarranged bangs sticking to his right cheek. He finally turns his attention to Junpei and Kenji. And to their horror, so does Miss Toriumi.

“Junpei, since you’re amusing yourself with throwing paper balls at your classmates, I guess you could answer the question I just made them.”

He feels his whole body freezing like he was shot by a Bufu spell. Then, a quiet voice from the desk beside him saves his life.

“Shirakaba Magazine, nineteen-ten.”

The blabbering of surprised students breaks out as Toriumi crosses her arms, satisfied. “Well, at least Makoto was paying attention.”

_What?! He wasn’t even awake! How does he do that?_

The bell indicating the end of today’s classes echoes through the room and out in the corridors. The class closes their notebooks and starts emptying their desks.

“Ok, guys,” Toriumi gathers her own supplies and makes mention of leaving, “We’ll continue with Eastern Neo-romanticism next class. Please read up from pages fifteen to twenty-one of your textbooks and answer the quiz by the end of the chapter. Junpei and Kenji will bring me a piece of cake _each_ , for all the fuss you both caused today.”

The two second-years frown but do not protest.

As the blabbering lingers inside the class, Junpei turns to Yuki again. “I owe you one, bro. How come you always know the answers to every single teacher’s question?”

Yuki simply shrugs and shakes his head indifferently.

“Maybe it’s because _he_ doesn’t _gossip_ about other people while Toriumi covers test content”, Yukari answers in his place, turning to face Junpei. The floral wave comes back stronger than before.

“New perfume, Yuka-tan?”

Her complexion shifts from sarcastic to disconcerted in a split second, and her cheekbones flush a shade darker than the thin layer of blush covering them.

_Jackpot._

“Yeah… So what?”, she retorts impatiently.

Junpei rests the side of his face on his left hand with a teasing grin. “Nothing, I was just going to say that I liked it. Why, is there something else?”

Yukari tries to ignore him as she finishes to pack her notebooks. She closes her bag a bit tighter than necessary. “ _If_ there was something else, it really wouldn’t be your business, would it? Now if you’ll excuse me boys, I promised to meet Fuuka right after class. At least I have something better to do”, she throws her smooth hair behind her as she leaves, her sweet fragrance still in the air.

Junpei throws his arms behind him and rests his hands on the nape of his neck. “Mission successful.”

Kenji twists his nose. “You call this success?”

“Obviously! See how she was all awkward and all? There’s a lot of material there to investigate.”

“So you actually think she’s seeing someone?”

“Until now, all of the evidences point that yes,'' Junpei answers, contemplative, scratching his thin goatee. “What do you think, Yuki?”

“Yuki?”

And yet no one answers, because Makoto Yuki has just collapsed face-first on the desk again, with Aigis’ vigilant eyes watching him as always.

To be honest,  it really isn’t his business if Yukari is dating someone, Junpei thinks to himself. But she did have the energy to pick on him just like in the beginning of the school year, and that alone was enough to bring a smile to his face.

All in all, it is great to have his cheeky best friend back. And the perfume was actually pretty nice.

 

***

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yooooo it is me. I'm back with more Yukari-related content. This is my very first multi-chapter fic so please (please!) tell me what you think.
> 
> Oh and fear not, my fellow multi-chapter readers. All of the 10 chapters are already outlined so it'll be fairly easy to keep updating.
> 
> Thanks so much for reading ~<3


	2. Mitsuru is flustered.

Mitsuru Kirijo is a busy young woman.

Like most only children in Japan, she is the heiress to her family’s business. Which, in her particular case, happens to be one of the most profitable companies in the country.

She is the valedictorian and student council president at Gekkoukan High.

Also, she is the first and eldest member of S.E.E.S., a secret surveillance organization composed by a bunch of teenagers, an A.I., a precocious child  and a dog.

That means Mitsuru doesn’t have much time for ordinary, common-life affairs like fashion trends, TV shows, celebrities or the typical who’s-dating-who rumors roaming the school.

And yet, here she is, doing absolutely nothing but standing in the middle of the hallway.

The thing is, being busy means keeping up with a routine. And, sometimes, having a routine means repeating some kind of unavoidable pattern.

Four days a week, in the way between her classes and the student council meetings, the third-year finds herself crossing the second floor at the exact same time Yukari Takeba leaves the 2-F classroom. Somehow, Mitsuru is drawn to this strange eventuality. And it's always a little awkward.

It's simply impossible to ignore when Takeba passes by, even from across the floor. The dark golden-haired girl strolls along the hallway with hands behind her back, stopping for a chat with almost everyone she meets.

Today, Friday, is one of those days, and Mitsuru watches as Takeba glides through the hallway looking for another second-year student and S.E.E.S. member, Fuuka Yamagishi. In the chaos of teenage chit-chatter, her familiar voice is actually pleasant to hear.

_"Oh hi, Rio! Congrats on the summer championship. How you guys doing this semester? By the way, have you seen Fuuka?"_

_"Sorry, Keisuke-kun, I’m busy today. But I’m sure the photography club will find another model. Do you know if Fuuka already left the classroom?"_

_"Hey Yuko! Karaoke sounds awesome, how about next Saturday? I'm looking for Fuuka, did you see her today?"_

Yukari's spontaneity is a trait Mitsuru truly admires. Despite being in charge at the student council and at S.E.E.S., Mitsuru never succeeded in opening up or relying on others, not even in her closest relationships. She is respected by her team, yes, and she is praised for her academic accomplishments by teachers and other students. But always in a meek, distant manner. Nothing like the warm and friendly way their schoolmates approach Takeba.

Honestly, it's not much of an effort to actually like her. Takeba's outgoing nature is easily captivating and, well, she is undeniably gorgeous. _Radiant_ , Mitsuru thinks, would be the appropriate adjective for her.

That radiance always makes Mitsuru a bit uncomfortable. She keeps catching herself wishing her and Takeba were closer. But she simply doesn’t know where to start.

Mitsuru drowns in this thought and forgets about the world for a second, failing to notice the person walking in her direction.

With eyes still raking up the hallway looking for Fuuka, Yukari also fails to notice Mitsuru and the two clumsily collide, almost falling to the ground.

Yukari holds Mitsuru firmly by the arm to prevent the fall.

“God, I’m sorry, senpai! Are you alright?”

Mitsuru tumbles a little and notices something about Yukari she never noticed before. Something that makes her cheeks as violently red as her hair.

There's a sweet, delicate scent lingering all around the girl – a vivid combination of flowers Mitsuru can't quite tell apart. It's elegant and remarkable, but not garish as the expensive branded perfumes the Kirijo heiress is usually gifted with.

She inhales. _Wow. Takeba smells so..._

“Great. I mean, good. I’m good”, Mitsuru tries to keep her composure."It’s me that should apologize, Takeba. I shouldn’t be standing in the way.”

“No, no, please don't. You always have so much to do, there must be a lot going on in your head.”

 _Well, that's not wrong_ , Mitsuru thinks, certain she had never been more embarrassed in her life. "So, did Yuki say anything about going to Tartarus tonight?"

The second-year looks down and puts a lock of hair behind her ear. "Yeah… He said we're going, if everyone agrees." She seems somewhat worried.

Despite the pleasant flowery scent, the air suddenly feels heavy between them.

"Was he sleeping in class again?"

Yukari nods affirmatively. "He seems more tired every full moon’s operation. He pushes himself too hard." She throws an upset amber gaze at Mitsuru. "Both of you, actually." There's a tone of annoyance in her voice, as if they are selfish for doing so.

Options on what to say next cross Mitsuru's mind.

_He’s doing his best. It's part of being a leader._

_It's not easy, but we must believe in him._

_I'm worried about him, too._

_We’re doing this to protect you._

But then again, proclaiming her thoughts was never her strongest suit. So, she shifts the subject back to Yukari.

"How about you, Takeba? Are you taking care of yourself? Eating well? Studying? Sleeping?"

"Huh?" Yukari lifts her eyebrows. "I'm not a little kid, senpai. And we live together, it's not like you can't see if I’m taking care."

"I know. It's just I keep thinking that..."

"What?"

The words simply drop out of Mitsuru's lips. "I don't want to burden any of you."

That's the funny thing about Takeba's openness.

It's contagious.

It doesn't matter how awkward Mitsuru feels when watching Yukari from a distance, or how her own trust issues always seem to ruin the chances of getting closer. When they talk, even if just a little, even in the most casual encounters, it’s suddenly easy for Mitsuru to just be honest.

And it's not an issue at all. It's relieving, for a change.

Yukari surprisingly softens at her sincerity. She touches her forearm, gently.

"It’s not a burden if you share it.”

And just like that, the atmosphere feels light again. As simple as a touch.

Or a sprinkle of perfume.

"Excuse me, Mitsuru-senpai." A polite masculine voice chime in. "We're just waiting for you to start today's meeting."

Mitsuru turns around to see a serious-looking young man with swept back greyish hair; Hidetoshi Odagiri, the student council supervisor.

“Oh, I’m sorry Odagiri. I was just helping Takeba with…” She tries to think of an excuse, as regular students are not supposed to know about Tartarus.

"... with finding Fuuka." Yukari is quicker than her.

"Yamagishi?", the boy says in a formal manner, "Just saw her at the gardens, near the gate. Oh, and I just have to say it, Yukari-san. This perfume suits you so well."

 _It does_ , Mitsuru thinks almost involuntarily.

"Ah! Thanks, Odagiri-kun, nice of you to notice. It was a gift." Yukari turns to Mitsuru one last time before leaving. “So, see you later, Kirijo-senpai."

"See you, Takeba."

Mitsuru Kirijo is a busy young woman, heading for another assignment in her loaded schedule.

That means she doesn’t have much time to overthink her inability to be spontaneous, or about a certain teammate’s sweet, enchanting fragrance.

As she leaves for the student council meeting, she whispers something so softly that even the person beside her can’t hear.

“ _Ton parfum sent aussi beau que toi_.”

 

***

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> There was a reason for that yukamitsu tag :3
> 
> Honestly, thanks so much for your comments last chapter.
> 
> I decided to put a little more effort into this one so please, do tell me what you think!
> 
> The chapters are connected, so you can already guess who the next character will be. Keep an eye out for little hints of what will happen in the end.
> 
> Hope you like it and thanks again for reading ~<3


	3. Fuuka is perceptive.

_Lucky the weather is clear_ , Fuuka Yamagishi thinks as she walks out the school building and breathes in the fresh afternoon air. _It'll be a lot easier carrying the flowers to the dorm._

Sunlight gleams through the golden-leaved trees, staining the concrete ground near the Gekkoukan High front gates. The chirping of birds merge with the student chatter in the distance. It's a nice Friday by the end of summer.

The girl sweeps dry leaves off of a bench with her hand, humming contently as she sits and dives into the book she’s been reading this week. 

Along with her fascination with technology and her dedication with gardening, fiction used to be one of Fuuka’s ways of escaping reality. Especially in the silent, lonely moments of the day – when the girls from school left her behind to hang around the Iwatodai Station’s back alley, or when she came home to a mother and father who barely even spoke to her. That was when the stories and characters inside the pages were her best company.

Those lonely moments, however, became significantly rare since June.

Then she decided to join S.E.E.S. and move into their loud, crowded dormitory. A few months passed, and soon the dorm was full of new members, including an adorable white Shiba Inu.

Apart from attending the same school and sharing the ability to summon beings called Persona – the materialization of their inner selves –, those people are so different from each other it's hard to conceive they have any other things in common.

Oddly enough, Fuuka never felt more at home. And instead of being left behind, now she is the one waiting for a friend to hang out after class.

So, since June, fiction doesn’t feel like an escape. It just feels like fun.

“Hey, Fuuka!” a familiar voice calls her back to reality.

Yukari Takeba, one of her doormates, is standing in front of her, hands on her hips and a determined look in her eyes. Yukari agreed to help with decorating her bedroom, and today they are shopping for flowers.

“Finally found you. Ready to go?”

Fuuka closes her book and jumps up with a smile. “I was just waiting for you, Yukari-chan.”

The two second-years walk through the school gates together and head towards the monorail station.

Before joining S.E.E.S., Fuuka only knew Yukari from a distance, as Natsuki Moriyama and the other girls would often say mean things about her.

Fuuka didn't pay much attention, although she remembers there was something about her dad disgracing their family to the point Yukari and her mother had to move from town to town, eventually going back to Tatsumi Port Island. There was something about her mom dating a lot of guys, too.

Those rumors, however, made no sense to Fuuka. Dating people didn't seem to be such a big deal, and she knew well enough it wasn’t fair to judge a person by what their parents were like.

Yukari appeared to be a friendly, positive person, constantly surrounded by her classmates and members from the Archery Club. She was very pretty, too, a joyful kind of beauty that was nice to admire.

Fuuka found a friend in Yukari as soon as she moved into the dorm. Being with her was comfortable, easy, as though the two of them could have been friends for a long time. She sighs at the thought, noticing a pleasant note of flowers in the air.

"Yukari-chan… May I say something?"

"Sure, Fuuka", she replies, gently. "We're friends, aren't we?"

Fuuka nods, cheeks turning a little pink. "This perfume you're wearing. It's really good."

"Oh! Thanks! It was a gift and I've just started wearing it, so I'm still getting used to the scent." Surprisingly, Yukari blushes too.

And then, something weird happens: a strange, delicate light glows around Yukari, embracing her silhouette like an aura. Fuuka even blinks two or three times to make sure she isn't hallucinating. She takes a quick look around the street, and it seems she is the only one seeing it.

 _Gosh,_ she thinks, sadly. _I guess it's finally time to wear glasses._

"Hey, are you okay?", Yukari notices her bothered expression. "You look a little nervous."

To Fuuka's relief, the light seems to have faded out.

"Oh, it's nothing! I was just amazed by your perfume. The scent really is incredible."

She hates lying, and she's terrible at it. But the last thing Fuuka wants is to worry a friend in such a perfect day. At least the part about the perfume is true – the scent is sweet and delicate, reminding her of a peaceful morning in spring.

However unconvincing her response was, Yukari appears to roll with it. The two girls continue talking cheerfully about their days as they board the crowded monorail, and at some point into the conversation, Yukari narrates the paper ball incident during Miss Toriumi’s class.

“So Junpei-kun has to bring a cake to Miss Toriumi?" Fuuka laughs. "Maybe I could bake something to help him...”

“Naaah don’t worry about it,” says Yukari, “I think that’s a lesson he has to learn for himself.”

“Good point.” Fuuka assents, giggling. “Why was he even trying to wake Yuki-kun up, anyway?”

“Oh…" Yukari chuckles, the sound comes out with a hint of nervousness. "You know what? Whatever it was, it wasn't worth the extra homework."

Suddenly, the strange light reappears around Yukari, now slightly brighter than before. Fuuka holds back a gasp– _Why am I seeing this again?_

Before she can come up with an answer, the light fades out once more.

 

Finally arriving at the Port Island Station, the girls rush to the Rafflesia flower shop. They stop at the entrance to admire the colorful, aromatic combinations of flowers, and the florist kindly welcomes them to the store.

“How can I help you girls today?”

As usual, Fuuka’s shyness gets the best of her, so Yukari steps forward and asks for decorative flowers, specifically for a small bedroom. The attendant soon brings a few vases with delicate arrangements.

“Pink or lilac, I guess… Cream yellow maybe...” Yukari ponders with a hand on her chin. “I noticed you like teal blue a lot, so these colors might go well with it.”

Fuuka's eyes widen in approval. "Oh, I see! They'll fit perfectly in my room."

"Nothing like a little life to lighten up that gloomy dorm, huh?"

In an instant, the florist prepares three arrangements with the exact colors the girls asked for. The pastel tones create a beautiful, calming combination, cozy to look at. Fuuka asks her about the instructions on how to take care of the flowers, how to water them and how many times a week. The woman spends a moment meticulously explaining everything Fuuka needs to know. After paying for the flowers, the girls thank the attendant and leave the store, carrying the vases with caution.

“Thanks for helping me today, Yukari-chan,” Fuuka says on their way home. "You're very good at this."

“Oh, it’s nothing." Yukari smiles. "I'm really into fashion and stuff, so matching colors is fun for me. But it isn’t nearly as cool as being good with two completely different things like electronics and flowers.”

“They do have some things in common, you know” Fuuka says. “Both demand a lot of patience. A flower needs watering and proper caring to bloom in full health. A device needs to be frequently updated to keep functioning and improving. Sometimes you have to be kind with their flaws and when you least expect it, you start paying attention to the small quirks that make them what they are.”

Yukari loses herself in thought while Fuuka speaks, her features turning vague, her eyes seeming miles away. The glowing light surrounding her appears yet again, and even brighter.

This time, instead of being startled, Fuuka tries hard to think if she said anything to trigger it. Something inside of her makes her feel somewhat embarrassed, as though she is meddling with something very intimate.

"I'm sorry, Yukari-chan, am I talking too much?"

"Oh, no, not at all!" The other girl replies."Actually, you're usually so quiet, it's nice finally hearing you talk like this. It's just that… what you said about being patient, it got me thinking…“

Yukari stops for a moment. Her expression softens into a small laugh. "Are you using your Persona? It's like you're seeing right through me today."

 _Of course_ – something clicks. _Lucia._

Although Fuuka never considered the possibility before, it would make sense if her Persona's communication and perception skills affects the way she interacts with people. A bit crazy, yes. But a little logical too. Moriyama-san did use to say she was way too comprehensive, didn't she?

Since Lucia has the ability of identifying weak points, that means the glowing light around Yukari only appears when she shows her vulnerabilities. First when they chatted about her perfume, and now when Fuuka talked of patience. There was another moment, too, when Fuuka mentioned… – _Oh._

"Speaking of Persona", Fuuka says in the most casual tone she can manage. "Tartarus today?"

"Yup." Yukari replies with a deep sigh. "I'm glad it's still early, I wanted to take a shower before going."

Fuuka simply nods, and their walk home turns awkwardly quiet. One girl wondering if she should ask, the other thinking whether she should tell. Yukari is the one to break the silence.

"Fuuka… May I say something?"

"Of course", Fuuka opens a wide smile. "We're friends, aren't we?"

Being with Yukari is easy. It has always been, ever since June. But this... This is the kind of moment – that small occasion that usually involves sharing something like an experience, or a laugh, or a secret – when you know deep in your heart a friendship is true.

Today, Yukari shares a secret. What she confides, however, is nothing new to Fuuka.

It is as clear to see as a bright glowing light.

“I think…”, Yukari pauses, as if waiting for the words to come out on their own. “I’m in love.”

 

***

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Aaaand I'm back.  
> Fuuka is probably the character I relate to the most in the whole Persona franchise – my experiences in high school were very similar to hers, without the whole supernatural part. So yeah, I thought this one was going to be easy.
> 
>    
> Welp, guess I was wrong :D
> 
> It took me a while to find the right tone, but I think I'm finally happy with how it turned out.  
> And I hope you enjoy too!


	4. Akihiko is intrigued.

"Io, come forward!" Yukari pulls the trigger for the last time this night.

If running out of power in the middle of battle isn’t enough, it’s even worse when you’re the team's healer. At least there’s the bright side of not having to use the evoker for the rest of the night. Yukari was never fond of pointing that gun-like thing to her head, anyway.

Her Persona emerges before her and promptly casts a critical Magarula spell against a group of Mach Wheels. The Shadows tumble to the ground with a screeching noise.

"Yukari-chan hit the enemy's weakness!", Fuuka's voice echoes through the walls of Tartarus, reaching Yukari, Akihiko, Aigis and Makoto while they fight.

"Good job, Yukari!" Akihiko yells from the other side of the battlefield.

"We're almost done” Makoto encourages the party, then turns to her. "Are you alright?"

"Never better” the girl grins confidently, catching her breath. “So what are we waiting for? This our chance for an All-Out Attack!”

As she announces the assault, the four of them eagerly jump on the enemy in a whirlwind of kicks and punches and weapon-slashing. The defeated Shadows perish and evaporate.

"I'm not sensing any more Shadows on this floor. You guys did it!" says Fuuka.

Akihiko cracks his knuckles. "Great. To the stairs, then?"

"My sensors are reading serious signs of fatigue from Yukari-san, Makoto-san and you too, Akihiko-san." Aigis states flatly. "I believe it would be safer to discontinue our exploration and rest for today."

“And forget about Mediarama, guys...” Yukari adds, a bit breathless. “Sorry, I’m out of power.”

“We went as far as we could.” Makoto nods in agreement, in a vivid leading tone – a remarkable contrast to his everyday quiet manners. “Good fight, everyone. Let’s find the portal and return to the entrance.”

“Just when things were starting to be fun.” Akihiko groans, disappointed. “I wouldn’t complain about going straight back to the dorm, though. This place never fails to give me the creeps.”

The group sprints across the labyrinthic corridors of the Yabbashah Block, their steps producing clammy noises as they rush over puddles of dark-red blood. Moonlight shines through the windows and illuminates their complexions, the ghostly greenish hues of the Dark Hour intensifying their traces of tiredness.

Facing those bizarre, nightly creatures called Shadows is by far not the worst about Tartarus. The sole fact of being awake, of being perfectly conscious of that hidden hour, the tower’s dreadful existence and its haunting aura, is exhausting on its own.

The path is clear, so the party doesn't have to walk cautiously avoiding the Shadows crawling around the corners; they simply search for the exit without much trouble. It isn’t long until they reach a small golden archway indicating that floor’s portal to the entrance.

Quickly, they step inside the portal and with a flash, return to the great rounded hall with large stairs and an enormous clockwork gate in the middle. As soon as they arrive, Yukari crumbles to the checkerboard marble floor in complete exhaustion.

Aigis gasps. “Yukari-san!”

“You sure you’re alright, Yukari?” Akihiko frowns, concerned.

“Yeah, just super tired. I’ll just sit down here for a minute before we go back. By the way, you don’t happen to have any extra Medical Power, do you?”

He searches his pockets for a moment, then finds a small flask. “Here, take it. That might help.”

“Oh, great! Thanks, senpai.” Yukari opens the flask and takes the content in one gulp. She braces herself with a shiver. “Ugh… Thank God it was a quick mission. I hate this place so much.”

The Gekkoukan High veteran sits by her, deciding to keep her company until she feels better. That is Akihiko – thoughtful, kind, like a big brother, and frequently giving the impression of being more mature than the others.

“I hate in here, too” he sighs.

“Really?” Yukari lifts her eyebrows, chuckling lightly.“I could never tell, senpai. You always look so hyped up whenever we go for an operation.”

“I see.” Akihiko nods. “It's about focus, I guess. I try to not lose sight of the ones I want to protect and I kinda try to look at it as a game. It makes the adrenaline kick in and motivates me to keep going. Maybe that’s why it looks like I’m having fun.”

He looks up at the ceiling, his expression turning serious. “Being honest, though, I loathed this damn tower ever since I first came here with Mitsuru and Shinji. No matter how much we advance, how much enemies we defeat, it feels like an infinite battle. This place makes me feel… powerless. It’s like it knows exactly what I fear the most.”

“Well”, Yukari says, eyes down and a bittersweet smile, “We have more in common than I thought.”

“We do. I know how it feels... When someone means everything to you, and you'd give anything not to lose them.”

“Sorry, what?” She looks up quickly, fighting her own nervousness.

_Seriously, even Akihiko-senpai? Is it that obvious?_

“I can tell by the way you fight. You’re strong, Yukari.” Akihiko says, still very serious. "The strongest usually fight not because they want to, but because they have to."

Yukari remembers a train ride back from school in April, when Junpei said Akihiko talked like a video-game protagonist. Turns out Junpei was right – not that she would ever admit it.

"Ah… Thanks, senpai." she replies, slightly flustered. "But I honestly don't think I'm all that strong. I can barely take a few hits from the Shadows without, well, ending up like this. And I didn't even break a sweat."

"You overdid it a little today, yeah. Nothing wrong with it, you just have to be more careful not to end up in a hospital bed, like a certain dumbass a few months ago." Akihiko blinks, and she feels a little better.

"Besides," he continues, "strength shows in different ways for different people. Yours doesn't show in how much you sweat, but in your hands."

"My hands…? Oh."

To say Yukari isn't concerned about her appearance would be lying. Everyday she puts a considerable amount of effort in choosing her clothes, taking care of her hair, doing her makeup. Her hands, however, are an exception… And a constant disaster. Chipped nail polish, calloused fingers, palms full of scars. All from her archery practices and using her bow and arrow during operations.

"Mitsuru was right, though." he says, more to himself than to her, scratching his silvery hair. "You do smell great."

" _What?!_ " Yukari gawks at her teammate, face burning red. " _Why_ would Kirijo-senpai say that?"

Akihiko simply shrugs. "Dunno. Years being friends with her and she still acts so weird sometimes. It's true, though. It's a pretty nice perfume, nothing to be embarrassed about. Just imagine if all of us smelled of sweat after our missions."

"I think I'd rather face a thousand Full-Moon Shadows." she laughs out loud, feeling her tiredness fading away.

"Hey."

Makoto Yuki swiftly reappears from wherever he goes after their explorations. He lowers his body to look Yukari in the eyes, his own dark-blue irises gleaming with contentment. They always do when he sees her smiling.

"How are you?"

"...Better." she returns the look, feeling the blood rush to her cheeks again.

Makoto offers a hand to help her up, which she absent-mindedly refuses in her usual self-reliant attitude. When she looks at him, however, her lips whisper a subtle _thank you_.

Akihiko gets up right after her and throws his arms around their shoulders. "Nothing serious.” he says with a grin. “She just needed a little talk."

If acting like an older brother is one of Akihiko's best traits, Yukari ponders, it's also definitely one of his worst. He could be so damn oblivious at times.

To her relief, Aigis soon approaches them, saving her from any eventual embarrassment.

"I can see you have considerably recovered from battle, Yukari-san. Are you feeling well?"

"I am!" she nods. "Thanks for worrying, Aigis."

"Oh, no. I am not worried." the anti-Shadow weapon replies in a dissonant polite tone. "I am merely operating the way I was instructed to."

"Oookay." It usually takes Yukari a second to understand Aigis’ blunt way of speaking. "But thanks, anyway."

"Akihiko-san" Aigis continues. "Since I wish to become stronger, I would like to ask you something, too. While we were fighting, I was wondering... How exactly does protein enhances one's body?"

As if struck by lightning, the veteran releases the two second-years and instantly answers Aigis in an energetic dissertation about all different kinds of proteins, where to find them and their many benefits in a healthy diet.

"Guuuuuys, can we go back already?" Junpei whines from the middle of the entrance hall. "I'm hungry."

"And I'm– I mean, Koromaru is sleepy." Ken Amada yawns.

"C’mon, there's nothing to complain about.” Shinjiro Aragaki retorts. “We didn't even leave the entrance today."

Junpei laments. "I know, senpai, but waiting is tiring on its own.” 

“Okay, enough, everyone.” declares Mitsuru, and the whole room turns to her. “Yuki, to the dorm then?”

Makoto nods affirmatively. The group walks through the gates and outside Tartarus, and in an instant, the Dark Hour disappears around them. A peaceful tone of midnight blue replaces the eerie green moonlight, and suddenly, the ground isn't covered in blood anymore. Sea breeze fills the city and warms the air. People reappear where the wooden coffins rested, completely oblivious of the nightmare surrounding them just a few moments ago.

The ten S.E.E.S. members head together towards their dormitory, all of them sharing an ephemeral yet hopeful feeling, as they can breathe easy again outside that suffocating place in time. For the next day, at least.

Akihiko is still talking vigorously about proteins to a seemingly interested Aigis. Right behind them, Mitsuru, Shinjiro and Junpei argue about how tiring it actually is to just wait at the entrance for a party to come back from battle. Ken, completely drained in somnolence, holds an even sleepier Koromaru in his arms. Fuuka follows them closely, ready to pick the dog up, knowing soon Ken will grow tired of holding their heavy four-paws teammate.

Yukari, walking a bit slower behind the group, might as well be thinking of how her new perfume managed to affect four of her teammates in a single day. Her mind, however, is still on what Akihiko said about her hands. How many fights she already fought with them to protect her loved ones? How many scars she still has to earn?

As though silently answering her afflictions, a gentle touch reaches the inside of her palm. It's delicate and lukewarm, as if barely even there. Thin fingers wrap softly around her own, her heart leaps and she lifts her eyes to find Makoto's – the boy walks closely beside her, careful not to let anyone notice their brief moment after the fight. They share a timid smile.

And she would give anything not to lose this.

 

***

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey guys, it's been a while!
> 
> A lot happened irl, so this past few months were a little busier for me (I got a new job, yay \o/)  
> I also changed my username (my old one was "confidentpetal").
> 
> Since my main goal with this fic is to improve my writing, I took my time and didn't rush myself at all. I'm very happy with where this story is going, so I feel like the patience really paid out.
> 
> Thanks so much for waiting and I hope you like it!


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